Football Season Guide

Haugesund enjoyed a fine season last year which culminated with a dramatic last few games where they managed to clinch the fourth spot and thus earned a place in Europe. It was certainly a season of overachievement as they lost their manager Mark Dempsey halfway through the campaign and were led by caretaker Andrea Loberto for the rest of the season. They continued to get good results and kept their nerve at the end to clinch the fourth spot. They used the 3-5-2 formation pretty effectively and a team lacking in too many flashy and talented players excelled by having a more unorthodox system, which they utilised pretty well. Yet it is now a fresh start for the Arabs as Eirik Horneland takes charge of the first team from now on. He was appointed back in the summer and has had ample time to prepare for the new challenge ahead. He has forged good reputation as a manager of the Norway youth-age sides and actually worked at Haugesund as an assistant manager a few years back. Thus, he seems like a good replacement for Dempsey but it remains to be seen how he will manage with what seems like a weekend squad. The departure of the excellent William Troost-Ekong, a rock at the back last year, is the biggest blow as the full Nigerian international return to parent club Gent. Torbjörn Agdestein will leave a serious void up front as he agreed a move to Odd, having netted ten goals last season. David Myrestam is another of the regulars who has departed and it leaves a gap in the side that may well not be filled properly. Erik Huseklepp arrived from Brann and is set to lead the attack while the replacements at the back are Djordje Crnomarkovic and Bruno Soares, both of whom have no real experience of playing in Norway and certainly represent more of a risk. The fact that Haris Hajradinovic remains part of the side after turning his loan deal into a permanent move is a big boost and his partnership with Filip Kiss is one of the aspects that made Haugesund such a good side last season. Overall, the Arabs look like a decent side and should have no issues with retaining their status. Yet replication of the exploits from last season seems like a big ask for this side.